Apple on April 19, announced that it has closed Meta’s WhatsApp and Threads from the App Store in China. Reportedly, the news comes after the Chinese government ordered the removal of such apps due to citing security concerns.
The fall!
Experts have suggested that the move by Apple can bring tensions between the US and China over technology and other policies. For example, Congress has been looking to fast-track legislation to push TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the social media app.
Early records suggest that Apple is expected to have lost the top spot to Korean rival Samsung Electronics. Reportedly, the US firm has run into headwinds in China, one of its top three markets, with sales slumping. The downfall is believed to come after the Chinese government agencies and employees of state-owned companies were not allowed to bring Apple devices to work.
From what it is understood, the House could vote on a new bill as soon as Saturday, and Joe Biden, president, US, explained that he will sign it into law if it reaches his desk. Apple pledged to invest over $250 million to expand its campus in the city-state.
What’s Next?
Users are expected to express that they need to be allowed with other apps, if not these. Experts suggest that Apple could have chosen the option of strengthening their security structures, rather than taking down the apps.
However, “We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree. The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns,” Apple concluded.
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